Archaios Comments On The Death Of Jose Carlos Hernandez

Dominican death metallers Archaios just published on their Facebook page an official statement about the murder of one of their peers, Exsanguination Throne's drummer Jose Carlos Hernández, on September 2nd while the band was playing at a local concert. This vile and violent affair only adds more trouble to the cloud of controversy that has surrounded the band and the Dominican Metal scene for more than two decades. The statement, written by Archaios' guitarist Eric Cruz, says:

The Dominincan Republic has lost a great musician but most of all an outstanding person. Jose Carlos Hernández' (aka Asmodeo Nefast Drum Shiva) murder is an act of hate. He was stabbed 27 times on Sunday, September 2nd outside a club where Archaios and other bands were playing. None of us (Archaios' members) had the chance to intervene nor help as the crime happened ironically while we were playing our last two songs of the set "Dreaming with the Dead" and "Eternal Bleeding" and didn't notice what was happening until a friend came into the club and onto the stage to ask our replacement drummer William Marte for medical help.

William is a doctor and was tapped by the band to fill in for our drummer Johandy Ureña until he returns from the U.S.A. By the time he got out of the club Shiva was already being taken to a hospital. Of course, the number and kind of wounds he had didn't even allow him to reach the hospital with a pulse.

Living in a conservative country like the Dominican Republic, Shiva chose to give up on everything he had here to lead a life in South America doing what he loved the most: playing Metal. This was a step few are willing to take in order to pursue the Metal dream, the dream of extreme music. He was in the country coincidentally, on a vacation break and went to that concert just to celebrate the music he loved, until the very end.

We, Archaios, profoundly condemn this act of blood and offer our condolences to his family who has been shrouded by a dark cloud no one should ever experience. Going through these difficult times and struggling to see justice done is something just horrific. One more time, the spiral of conjectures unleashed by the sensationalist media has been overwhelming. Many local journalists have excelled by speculating without even leaving room to find out about the true facts surrounding the articles they write. So is the case, that the newspapers even said that a second person who was just wounded at the scene died as well, not even thinking about the grave repercussions this kind of lies might lead to.

Shiva, you may be gone, but your legacy lives on forever inside those who knew you and shared the stage with you. Your Metal Brothers will never forget. Hails to you!

BG: Here is what I am getting from reading this Dominican article...three suspects between the ages of 24 to 28 were arrested and found with a 10" switchblade. Apparently they confused him with someone who resembled a guy who raped a woman a month earlier. Besides Shiva, another guy was shanked in the shoulder, too. http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/entertainment/2012/09/03/muere-rockero-de-27-punaladas-en-dominicana/

This is so very sad. Shiva's dad is a renowned merengue musician and his mom is a TV host on Univision. He had been living in Argentina with the rest of Exsanguination Throne (who have an easier time getting gigs there) and was only back in Santo Domingo for a vacation.